Marlon Brando at the 1973 Academy Awards

No one was surprised when Marlon Brando’s starring role in The Godfather earned him the Oscar for Best Actor in 1973, but his rejection of the honor came as a shock to many. Instead of attending the ceremony, the acclaimed actor had Apache actress Sacheen Littlefeather read a statement on his behalf, damning the industry for their treatment of Native American individuals on screen -- the basis of his refusing to accept the award.